The Incas and Textiles from Peru

Textiles from the Sacred Valley aren’t just beautiful fabric—they tell a vibrant history of the Incas. Weavers are really just storytellers. Each of our Andean intention straps tell their own story and have their own meaning. They are yours to wear with intention. Each and every Andeana Intention Band has its own meaning. The symbols date back to ancient Inca times. It was so fun to learn about what each symbol means and how they can be translated into a daily intention and affirmation. Read on below to learn more about textiles from Peru and the meaning behind Andeana intention bands.

A LITTLE BIT OF TEXTILE HISTORY

Making textiles during the reign of the Incas was more about storytelling or writing. Textiles were also used to record official records and statistics of the entire Incan empire. The weavers were at the heart of Andean life. While many of the stories were lost and the Inca’s history was largely wiped out by the Spanish conquistadors, today the textiles of the Sacred Valley, Peru remain a great reminder of that past and also a representation of a clash of cultures.

The many eclectic hat styles of the indigenous citizens of Quechua descent who live in this Andean region of South America are a direct influence of the Spanish and Europeans that brought their fashions over to South America. Today, this vanishing art of textiles is still a surviving link to the great civilization of the Incas and all of their traditions. Traces of Incan and Huari heritage are literally woven together with Spanish Colonial history in the same outfit. Layers of alpaca capes and draped, wool blankets in every color help keep the women warm against the mountain chill, while hats of all shapes and sizes adorn the heads of every man, woman, and child giving clues to which village they come from and the stories of their Incan heritage.

The Sacred Valley in the Andes Mountains of Peru has an unseen, yet very powerful and positive energy. Our intention is to capture that energy and share it with those who wear our hats. Each Andeana hat carries an intention with it and can protect the chakras of the person wearing it. Each design, stone, shape, and material of the collection has been carefully thought out and sourced from mother nature herself. Our textile bands are made from natural fibers; the yarn is sheared, cleaned, hand spun and naturally dyed by each weaver herself, following her ancestors tradition. This ancient process of textile production dates back to pre-Incan times.

HIDDEN MESSAGES WOVEN INTO ANDEANA INTENTION BANDS

As you know, Andeana hats are intention hats. They are made to wear with the intention you wish to bring upon your in your daily life. Each hat has its own unique meaning, which intention will you choose?

YAKU- VITALITY
By wearing our Fedora Style Hat, Yaku, you are calling vitality into your life. Yaku means Water in Quechua, which is the source of life. This diamond design represents lakes. When there is something depicted inside of the diamond it means the lake is healthy and strong.


MUNAY - LOVE

By wearing our Western Style Hat, Munay, you are calling love into your life. Munay means Love in Quechua, this X O design is one of the first patterns that girls will learn from their mothers at a young age when being taught the ancient Incan weaving designs.


SACHA- CONNECTION

By wearing our Bucket Style Hat, Sacha, you are calling in more meaningful and spiritual connections into your life. Sacha means tree or forest in Quechua. This design of branches that are often used as a border for larger textiles represents the Tree of Life which is the source connects all three layers of Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld.


TIKA- ABUNDANCE

By wearing our Floppy Style Hat, Tika, you are calling in abundance into your life. Tika means Potato Flower in Quechua. This design shows the importance of potatoes to the Andes and its people. When you plant and nurture a seed, it will continue to grow and give you more than what you started with. The Andean people believe that if you respect or pay homage to the earth, it will reward you abundantly.


NAWI- PROTECTION

By wearing our Spanish Style Hat, Nawi, you are calling protection and good luck into your life. Nawi means Eye in Quechua. This “evil eye” pattern protects the textile and wearer by “reflecting” bad energy away, allowing a change of fortune and luck to enter in. The “Evil Eye” symbol is one of the only symbols that spans across all cultures, oceans, and religions, reaching as far as the Incan empire.


PUMA- BALANCE

By wearing our Bowler Style Hat, Puma, you are calling balance and equilibrium into your life. The animal Puma, in Quechua, represented Kay Pacha, or the God of the Middle World (Earth). The symbol of the puma claw shows the importance of being grounded in the earthly world that’s inhabited by living beings. It’s a symbol of balance, equilibrium, symmetry and calmness.

Don’t forget you can always contact us if you have any questions.